


Intrusion

by PJ1228



Category: Forever Knight
Genre: Episode Tag, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-01-07 14:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1120716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PJ1228/pseuds/PJ1228
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick's first visit to Schanke's home</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intrusion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Brightknightie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brightknightie/gifts).



> **Disclaimer:** Forever Knight and its characters were created by Barney Cohen and J.D. Parriott and are copyright to Sony/Tristar. None of the characters in this story belongs to me. I'm just borrowing them temporarily. No infringement intended. No profit is being made. 
> 
> **Acknowledgements:** Special thanks to foxy11814 for beta reading.
> 
> **Timeline:** Season 1, after “Hunters”, before the tag

**Intrusion**  
by PJ  
January 2014

 

“Come on, Schank, I’ll drop you off.” Nick held up his keys and indicated Schanke’s bandaged arm. “You can’t drive with that arm.”

Schanke followed his partner to the parking lot and got into the passenger seat of the Caddy.

“Third house on the right,” Schanke announced ten minutes later after Nick had turned into Montcrest Boulevard. 

Nick parked the Caddy in front of a two storey house. “I thought Myra and Jenny were at the cottage,” he remarked when he saw the lights on.

Schanke’s face lit up. “They must have returned after they heard that it was over. Now here’s your chance to meet the sun of my life.” 

Nick held up his hands in protest. “By all means, Schank, it’s in the middle of the night! She’s probably asleep.”

“Not Myra. Not before she assured herself that I’m alright.”

“All the more reason for me not to intrude.”

“Are you kidding? Myra would never forgive me if I sent you away now. She wants to meet the man who saved _Teflon Don_.”

“I don’t know, Schanke. It was no big deal. It’s what partners do.”

Schanke turned to him. “What partners do is having a drink after work or a barbecue or ---“ He stopped as Nick’s attention was caught by a movement on the porch. Schanke followed his gaze. “See, there she is.” He got out of the car and walked up to the front door with Nick reluctantly trailing behind.

Nick hovered in the background and watched as Schanke was briefly enveloped in a tight hug. 

“Honey, meet my new partner. Can you believe that? I needed to get shot before he agreed to come along.” 

Nick opened his mouth to protest, but Myra beat him to it and grabbed his hand. “Thank you for looking out for him, Detective.”

Nick studied the woman before him. From the comments Schanke occasionally dropped in the confines of the Caddy, he suspected that Myra was the one who had the say in the Schanke household. Schanke’s late partner Jim Anderson had called her one hell of a woman. Nick could see where that judgement came from. Outwardly plain, she exuded an inner strength that was probably the perfect match to Schanke’s antics. Smiling, Nick raised her hand and blew a chaste kiss on it. “It’s Nick.” 

Myra was only briefly caught off-guard by the unexpected greeting and advanced towards the door. “Come on in. I just have a quiche in the stove. It will be ready soon.”

Nick remained on the porch. “I really have to get home. It’s been nice meeting you.”

“Nonsense, you can spare an hour.” Schanke dragged him into the house.

Nick found himself in a small hall. A stairway to the right led to the upper storey, while the kitchen lay ahead as Nick suspected from the scent he caught coming from that direction. The mixture of baked dough and herbs made his stomach churn. Thus, he was relieved when Schanke shoved him to the left into a large room that was divided into one part serving as dining and another serving as living room.

“Have a seat, I’m fetching us drinks.” Schanke vanished through another door that was obviously connected to the kitchen.

Nick sat down in the armchair farthest from the kitchen door and took in his surroundings. The room was neat and clean. The style of the furniture indicated that Don and Myra were the second generation using them. A display of several photographs on a sideboard caught his eye. A wedding photo was placed in the centre, flanked by photos of Jenny at all ages, Schanke in police uniform, Myra holding up a ‘Skin Pretty’ award, and Schanke with other men gathered around a bowling trophy. A normal family.

The few “family” photos Nick owned had to be hidden from mortal view in drawers unless he came up with a plausible explanation why his clothes changed with the passing of time while his looks did not. With an unexpected pang of regret, he realized that there would never be another photo of the three of them after the patricide he had committed three months ago. Although a part of him rejoiced in the gained freedom, another part was still fighting to come to terms with the emptiness left behind by the loss of his master’s presence.

“Are you okay with beer?” Schanke’s voice broke into his gloomy thoughts.

“Uh, I – have to drive, Schank,” Nick answered in what he hoped was a successful attempt to evade the consumption of non-hemoglobin-containing beverages.

“No problem. We’ve got alcohol-free.” Schanke placed an open bottle in front of Nick, ignoring his efforts to decline. “Cheers.” Schanke sat down on the couch and chinked his bottle against Nick’s.

Nick raised his bottle in a toast and took the tiniest sip before setting it back down, determined not to touch it again. “You have a nice home,” he said in order to distract Schanke.

“It belonged to Myra’s mother before she moved to Florida.”

“Donnie, where are your manners?” Myra scolded as she entered the room with a hand full of cutlery. “We do have glasses, you know.”

Schanke released a low groan and rose to fetch two beer glasses.

So much for avoiding another drink, Nick thought as Schanke poured the beer and raised his glass again in a toast. Nick joined him, taking another tiny sip. With growing alarm, he observed as Myra began to lay out the dining table. 

When Schanke rose and walked over to a cupboard, Nick quickly poured the major portion of his beer into Schanke’s half empty glass. He had just placed his glass back on the table when he became aware of a third heartbeat and noticed a pair of eyes watching him. Slowly he turned his head to the door and smiled openly at the young girl standing there. “Hi, you must be Jenny,” he said.

Schanke returned with a package of salt sticks and enveloped his daughter in a hug. “Jenny, honey. You should be in bed.”

“I heard you coming home. I have to get up in an hour anyway. And, I’m hungry.” She reached out and retrieved several salt sticks from the package. Putting one in her mouth, she raised her head toward Schanke, who bent down to bite off the other end. Giggling, Jenny popped into her father’s lap and regarded Nick curiously.

“Nick, meet my daughter. Jenny, this is Nick. I told you about him,” Schanke made the introductions.

“A lot,” Jenny agreed, causing Nick to wonder what exactly Schanke had told her. “I like your name. Are you a real knight?”

Nick grinned at her. “Of course.” He knelt on one knee. “At your lady’s service.”

Jenny giggled again. 

“The quiche is ready,” Myra called from the kitchen. “Guys, take your glasses with you to the table. Jenny, if you want some, get another plate, please.”

Jenny went obediently to the cupboard.

Nick rose from his seat. “Schanke, I have to go.” 

“What? Now?” The disappointment was apparent on his face. “Not before you’ve tried Myra’s quiche.”

“I can’t. I have an appointment for breakfast,” he claimed out of the blue, hoping that Schanke would understand the necessity of his departure. “I’m already running late.”

“Why don’t you call Nat and ask her over?” Schanke suggested.

“Because it isn’t Nat,” Nick whispered pointedly.

“Oh?” Schanke furrowed his brows before realization struck. “Janette?”

“I owe her a favour for letting you stay at the club,” he admitted, realizing that this was actually true.

“Then, I should be the one doing the favours,” Schanke observed. “So, ask her over—no, forget that. Bring her along next Saturday. I’m having a barbecue with the neighbours. I will treat you to Schanke’s famous home-made souflaki.”

The hospitality was heart-warmingly human. If Schanke only knew what kind of beast he allowed access into his home, he would keep his family at a far distance. “Thank you, but I don’t think Janette will be able to get away from the club on a Saturday,” Nick declined the invitation. Better to keep their families separate. The less he got involved with Schanke’s family, the safer they were. He padded Schanke’s shoulder and turned towards Myra. “It’s been nice meeting you, Myra. I’ve got to run. Jenny, take good care of your dad. I need him back on duty ASAP.” Before anyone could interject, Nick made a hasty retreat from the house. 

On the walkway, he paused and listened to the conversation inside.

“He’s not normal,” Jenny declared with conviction.

“Nick? Not normal? What makes you think that?” Schanke inquired.

“He refused to eat mommy’s quiche. No normal person would do that.”

“So, maybe he’s a little weird,” Schanke said thoughtfully, “but he’s the best partner I’ve ever got.”

Smiling sadly, Nick jumped into the Caddy.

FIN


End file.
